Panini Guy's Profile
Cure VS. Union Pig
I haven't been to Cure yet, but I'd think UPC is the option here - it's literally a pig out and reasonably priced. Portions not an issue - almost everyone gets a doggie bag. Obviously you and your guests have to like meat (and lots of it). Cocktail/beer menu is limited, but the small selection is good and the rock n ryes are tremendous.
If you go early, seating shouldn't be an issue for a party of 8-10. Larger than that, maybe. Weekends will be busy of course, so anything in prime time will be dicey. But the communal seating really isn't much of an issue. Generally the staff seats different parties with some space in between - not even as close together as Salt when I've been there.
Where to eat in Pittsburgh?
http://www.chow.com/search?query=pittsburgh&type=Topic&board_name=Pennsylvania&search_board_id=15&from_date=1+year+ago
pittsburgh bachelor party food & drink
If the OP's husband's friend is OK with getting hit on by cougars, by all means, he'll have fun at Nakama!
I think he should either plan on hanging out in Southside or in E. Liberty. IMO, E. Lib has the better food and a few solid bars. It's a bit more sophisticated while still being a bit gritty. Southside is 17 blocks of bars interrupted by so-so food with a couple of good exceptions. Southside is a much younger crowd and there are a couple of clubs there if that's needed.
A ramp (wild leek) trip!
I wonder if the ridiculously early Spring is going to affect ramp season. Several Pittsburgh restaurants already have them on the menu and I don't recall that happening in March since I've been living here.
Sushi recs in pittsburgh
I'd add Umi to that, but can't argue with Tamari or Little Tokyo.
Regent Square Theatre - Good, Casual Dinner Close by?
Alma, Root174, Map Room, Green Mango.
The best hot dog toppings -- Discuss!
Steamed bun > steamed white rice, IMO. But kimchi on an dog rules. Cabbage or daikon.
One dinner in Pittsburgh
Can't recommend any Italian nearby. Closest farm to table to your hotel is Legume on N. Craig. A bit far to walk and maybe challenging to park there. Entrees will be closer to the $22 than $15.
For Thai/Asian you might try Spice Island Tea House (BYOB) which should be walkable.
The DDD entry has to be the "O" (Original Hot Dog Shoppe). By all means, if you're into that stuff, get the brick of fries. They'll look at you funny, but it won't be because you're by yourself :-)
If you're willing to drive, Salt of the Earth would be my pick. Entrees all in your range, mostly sourced local, very creative kitchen. Sit at the kitchen bar solo or they have community tables if you want company. Wines and a handful of beers. Unique cocktails.
Bourdain [moved from Houston]
But it's not a waste of energy to him (or anyone using the tactic) if it provides results. In fact, it may save him time and energy.
I like it.
So why would anyone go anywhere but Cheesecake Factory for anything since EVERYTHING at Cheesecake Factory is the best ever?
Now play along.
Best Mussels Southside
Dish has a nice version of cozze al vapore as an app and 17th St. Cafe had mussels casino on the menu not too long ago . I'd check if they're on the menu currently.
If you haven't been yet, the local mussels & frites champion is Point Brugge in Point Breeze. That's mussel heaven, IMO. I'd give Paris 66's version a vote for 2nd place.
Pittsburgh - You have $100 for 2 people. Where do you go?
Haven't been to Spoon, so thanks for giving the thumbs up. Funny thing is whenever I suggest something in E.Lib, my wife always retorts with, "Why don't we just go to Salt instead." It's that big in this house.
Leaving Cure for that time when we're in a meat frenzy. I have to get past Chef Racicot's attitude to give Notion a fair shot. I'm sure it's good, but I have issues with the guy I won't get into here.
You do get around. Wish I knew SD besides Bird Rock, Urban and that fish taco place next to the trolley stop at the convention center.
Pittsburgh - You have $100 for 2 people. Where do you go?
If you know anything good in the stretch from Washington to Morgantown, let's hear it... we go down that way often.
You'll probably like Il Piz. I think Ron, the owner, pays more attention to ingredients and the crusts are more consistent than PF. Been to Dinette once, loved it, but so many new options for other places we still haven't been to, so pizza usually not on the priority list.
Pittsburgh - You have $100 for 2 people. Where do you go?
cowboy - I was figuring for two people $18 wine, $18 apps, $44 entrees, which gets to $80. Add in $5.60 tax and a $16 tip and you're just over $100.
Thanks for the tip on Oishi Bento. Didn't know about it. Agree with you on Smiling Banana Leaf and Point Brugge. Personally prefer Il Pizzaiolo over Piccolo Forno, but I can see the appeal.
Pittsburgh - You have $100 for 2 people. Where do you go?
Munch isn't the real critic, China Millman does the reviews for 'finer dining', and she's quite good. I have no idea why the PG even publishes Munch other than to appease people looking for cheap eats.
Pittsburgh - You have $100 for 2 people. Where do you go?
I wasn't considering BYO but that does allow one more flexibility on how to spend $100. Haven't been to Root174 yet but have heard good things.
Pittsburgh - You have $100 for 2 people. Where do you go?
Munch - the guy who talks in code and has never given a bad review to anybody... that guy? I find him absolutely useless. Sorry.
Pittsburgh - You have $100 for 2 people. Where do you go?
Not much talk about Pittsburgh here lately, so thought I'd start a new thread.
For my wife and I, the answer continues to be Salt. There are some places we haven't been to yet and would like to try that may change our minds. But of the newer places we did try, after each meal we'd talk about what our total bill would've gotten us at Salt and how whatever it was we just ate seemed like far less value (and tastiness) than what we would've had at Salt for the same price.
As to the $100, we typically don't get dessert. So it's a glass of wine (OK, I may have two), an app and an entree each. At Salt that usually comes in around $80, add tax and a 20% tip and you're right around $100.
I'll add that we both appreciate a variety of tastes in our meals and we get bored after a few bites of a big chop or steak, which apparently makes us oddities in these parts.
So where do you go with your $100 for two? And what makes that a good value or a good experience in your book? Taste? Quantity? Scene?
Pittsburgh Ethnic Food
Try to get into Jozsa Corner in Homewood. You do need a reservation and there is a chance the owner/chef will lose it. But if you do get in, you'll have a really traditional Hungarian experience. As you probably imagine, it's not exactly health food.
The S&D deli is good, although it's a deli. Szmidt's deli in Hazelwood also good, but also a deli.
Seems odd that there aren't more Polish/E. European places here given the immigrant history, but it's out of fashion - can't think of any young adults remotely interested in E. Euro food beyond pierogi. That said, I haven't been to Gooski's in awhile (and it's really a dive bar) but they used to make decent golabki.
Things that don't taste like you expected they would...
Emme, I'm not out to convert you, but I do want to challenge the "unnecessary addiction" thing. I, like many others I know in the coffee industry, will gladly go without coffee than drink bad coffee. No headaches or anything. When you're drinking really great coffees, you're savoring the taste, not injecting caffeine.
And those $5 dollar cups are rarely just coffee, although some coffees do command that price unadorned. Those $5 cups so often quoted by the press are usually hot coffee-flavored milkshakes.
Food Franchises That Don't Suck
As I put a smiley on the original comment, I wasn't really looking to start an argument.
But since you did, we'll ask science about water quality.
http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/rating-big-city-water
Science says NYC.
You're in Phoenix and have Pizza Bianco, I'm in Pittsburgh and have Il Pizzaiolo. Either of which put any Miami pizza to shame. So why are we arguing about this anyway?
Things that don't taste like you expected they would...
Your profile says Richmond, so I'm going to suggest you head over to Globehopper and ask for a cup of Papua New Guinea Baroida. Let it cool for a bit then try it black before you reach for any condiments. It may change your mind. It may not. And if it doesn't, you'll know for sure coffee isn't your thing.
Food Franchises That Don't Suck
That's why there's a "pretty much" qualifier. Marino owns a piece of the franchise so yeah, they're gonna be in So Florida. And not surprisingly probably one of the better pies there behind Andiamos.
Maybe it's proof that with all the NYers down there, that someone can't make a better pizza means it's gotta be the water :-)
AnyUpdate on Rascals?
"Never before in the history of Restaurant Impossible have I had to work in a HazMat suit."
I believe that says it all.
Things that don't taste like you expected they would...
Spleen (in a vastedda) I didn't write the article in this link, but the author nailed it perfectly. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/05/spleen-sandwiches-an-italian-tradition/39761/
Durian. I knew it was likely going to be a horrible experience. It was worse than that. Supposedly if you can get past the smell, it's kind of sweet. But I have no idea how you get past the smell. We recorded it for posterity. I'm the old guy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iuImbLi1ek&feature=player_embedded
2 different prices on the check - cash or credit card
My wife worked in banking for years and really knew her stuff, negotiating the lowest rates possible because she knew all the ins and outs. We still paid well north of 2% on transactions plus a fixed swipe fee for each transaction (including checking balances on gift cards).
We owned a coffeehouse. Average sale around $4.40. Credit cards were a killer, especially when people used them for a small cup of coffee. Profit margin would be cut in half. We often thought of doing a cash discount, but the programming would've been difficult. We simply put a sign up saying we'd appreciate cash for anything under $5.00. Legally you can't say you won't take a card for small amounts, but many customers, upon seeing the sign, understood that cards were expensive for us to handle.
But I've never seen this done in a restaurant. I still see it at gas stations.
Food Franchises That Don't Suck
It's a shame that Anthony's Coal Fired pizza shops are pretty much only located in places that already have great pizza options. It's not bad relative to many indies and better than any chain pizza. If it were in many Midwestern or Southern towns or even many Northeastern or West Coast suburbs, it would likely be a top 5 choice.
Food Franchises That Don't Suck
Well, you're not drinking coffee. You're drinking hazelnut flavoring added to commercial-grade (not specialty grade) coffee beans. So the coffee really does suck, they're just hiding how bad it does.
Is terroir/taste of place real?
Depends on whether you felt those tomatoes were worth $20+. But odds are you're paying more the heirloom varietal than the soil/water (or perhaps ingenious marketing).
Is terroir/taste of place real?
After reading this far down, what you're basically saying is that terroir of a particular ingredient really is "taste of place" in that to best experience it you must be in that place near where it was grown. Because any attempt to transport, regardless how much care is made in processing and transportation for shipping, that specific taste cannot be reproduced elsewhere.
Therefore a fish is best consumed on the boat. Probably true but highly impractical.
Btw, I hate the Philly cheesesteak example. I've had many better cheesesteaks than in Philly. But they're not "Philly cheesesteaks" because I personally detest Whiz. That particular sandwich also depends on the bread, a style used in Philly that's hard to find elsewhere (perhaps because of the water?) But I don't think I'd classify cheesesteaks as exhibiting 'terroir' because nothing was actually grown in Philadelphia.
